American Samoa — Overview
American Samoa is a tropical island paradise at the heart of Polynesia: seven freckles of land featuring volcanic backdrops, tropical forests and wildlife-rich woodlands.
American Samoa's islands include Ta'u, Olosega and Ofu, known as the Manu'a group, which are volcanic in origin and dominated by high peaks.
The islands’ volcanoes, inactive since 1911, have left an intriguing land formation, including cavernous lava tubes. Most people live in villages along the narrow coastal plains, living off the fruits of the sea, and cultivating agriculture on the plains and nearby hills.
Traditional Samoan society is based on a chieftain system of hereditary rank, and is known as the Samoan way or fa'a Samoa. Despite the inroads of modern, Western civilization, local cultural institutions remain the strongest single influence in American Samoan life.
Geography
American Samoa lies in the Pacific Ocean approximately 3,700km (2,300 miles) southwest of Hawaii. It comprises seven islands: Tutuila, the largest with an area of 137 sq km (53 sq miles); Ofu, Olosega and Ta’u, known as the Manu’a group; and Aunu’u, Rose and Swain’s. The Manu’a group is volcanic in origin and dominated by high peaks. Rose and Swain’s Islands are uninhabited coral atolls, located to the east and north, respectively, of the other two island groups.
